Mediterranean Couscous With Hot Honey (Printable View)
Fluffy couscous with fresh veggies, feta, and a spicy-sweet hot honey lemon vinaigrette for a refreshing Mediterranean side.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Couscous & Salad Base
01 - 1 cup couscous
02 - 1 cup boiling water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
07 - 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
09 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
10 - 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
11 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Hot Honey Lemon Vinaigrette
12 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
13 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
14 - 1 tablespoon hot honey (mix 1 tablespoon honey with 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; microwave 20 seconds, stir, and cool)
15 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Cooking Steps:
01 - In a heatproof bowl, combine the couscous, salt, and olive oil. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, cover tightly with a lid or plate, and let steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled couscous, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and mint if using. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
03 - In a small bowl or lidded jar, whisk together the fresh lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, hot honey, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic until fully emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
04 - Pour the vinaigrette over the assembled salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The hot honey vinaigrette is the kind of dressing people will ask you to bottle and sell.
- It comes together in under thirty minutes with zero cooking beyond boiling water.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had time to mingle and settle.
02 -
- Do not lift the lid while the couscous steams, every peek lets steam escape and you will end up with crunchy grains in the center.
- Taste the olives and feta before adding salt to the dressing because their brine varies wildly between brands.
03 -
- Warm the honey slightly before whisking it into the dressing so it blends smoothly instead of clumping in cold lemon juice.
- Double the vinaigrette and keep the extra in a jar in the fridge for drizzling over roasted vegetables all week.